Friday, 13 April 2012

I'm back with an offering for the LOTV challenge, which this week is, TRANSPORT. So here's a card I made for my Buster-boo's 5th birthday which was on Easter Saturday.

I was so proud of this card as it was my first ever attempt at doing a cloudy sky, I think it turned out quite well. OK so here's the how to;

I started with an 8 x 8 card base. I matted a piece of cloud designer paper (from American Crafts I think) onto a piece of blue mirri card (a pack from QVC and a bargain at only £10). Next I arranged card stock stickers (from Echo Park Little Boy Collection) down the side and along the bottom.

Next I took a 6 x 6 square paper super smooth white paper and a cloud template, the fabulous Bev Rochester has one on her wonderful blog HERE along with a great video tutorial. I took Tumbled Glass Distress and an Ink duster Blending Brush from Inkylicious and set about making my paper cloudy. I expected to have to have a few practise goes at it but the first try came out great, I was very surprised at how easy it was to do.

I then got out my Grand Calibur to start die cutting and because of its nice large cutting plate I could do everything at once. I used Marianne Design Creatables Tree, Fence Set and Grass Set Dies (which are available at crafts u love), I had to cut 2 of the fence, grass and the tree but for this I did 1 in green and 1 in brown and yes I did sit and cut all those little leaves off so the tree would green leaves, and yes, I think I must be crazy.. lol. I used Coredinations White Wash for the fence which I think looked great once it was sanded back. I also used Coredinations for the grass, I used 2 different greens which I tore for more texture. I then laid all the bits out and played around with placement before finally sticking the torn grass and tree down with Cosmic Shimmer PVA Glue, one of the best paper glues around I think. The fence was raised up on 1mm foam tape with the die-cut grass stuck to its bottom edge, which was then stick down flat long the very edge, to create a sloped effect.

The cute little chap is from one of the lili of the valley die cut sheets which I cut out and then applied Glossy Accents to his bike to make it look shiny. I let this dry before mounting it on foam tape and positioning it on the backdrop. This whole panel was then matted onto some green mirri and placed on the main card.

Buster-boo was very pleased with his card and with the huge heap of presents too.

Thanks for popping by today and if you have any comments, good or bad, please feel free to leave it.

I thought I'd write a post about my mysterious vanishing acts from blogland and a little catch up too. The conditions that wrack my body and test my spirit have been having a field day of late. Days have been spent wracked with pain or I have slept through for 2 or 3 days at a time, literally, not waking at all (not even to relieve my bladder... sorry was that TMI??!! lol), then when I come to, I feel so foggy and confused. I hate this part of the illnesses, it gets me so down, I feel like a failure at not being strong enough to stave of the darkness, I know my family understand but its harder for my little Buster-boo.

My new physio has stepped in to try and help, drawing up a daily schedule for me to stick to with slight changes every few days. It is really hard for my partner (who is also my full-time carer) as he has to force me to wake, he has to literally sit me up and continuously talk to me until I come to. Sometimes its obvious to him that its not going to work, like when my tea, which he is tentatively trying to help me sip, just dribbles out the side of mouth as I start snoring! lol.. I have to laugh at such things because i have wasted too many tears to these awful illnesses before.

But I have now managed 10 straight days without zonking out, which I haven't done in over a year, it's been touch and go but Terry has stuck with it and coaxed me out of my sleep dimension (the only way I can describe it, is like being underwater and being sucked back under each time I break the surface..) everyday. He even managed to get me to church on Sunday - which was a mean feat as I had worn myself out on Buster-boo's birthday the day before -, which meant so much to me and the icing on the top was that my Buster-boo was chosen to light the Easter candle.

Easter is a special time for all of us, as Buster-boo was born on Easter and I know he was blessed by the lord to arrive on such a special day. Buster-boo was so proud to be chosen and he couldn't wait to Skype Nanna and tell her that his favourite present was from Rev. Shirley, when she chose him to light the Easter candle.

I am happy to report that I have even managed to get a handful of cards completed too, including 1 for my Buster-boo's birthday. It'll take me a while to post them all to my blog though, I am so slow when it comes to technology.. lol. I can surf the net and doing some online shopping but that's about it, so you'll have to bear with me.

OK its time for me to go, my schedule for this week only allows me a half hour of activity every 2 hours, so it's rest time now, which will mean lounging in my recliner watching Buster-boo play Skylanders (his second favourite birthday gift), watching Woo beaver away at her light box working on her Art coursework (which is amazing, I hope to post some pics when she has finished it) and itching to get up and so something, I hate being idol, I feel lazy and laziness is the 'quality' I loath the most after dishonesty, so no doubt I'll be told to "put that magazine down", and "sit back down", grrrrr this is the real hard part for me.. lol..

About Me

Hi, I'm Dawn, I'm 37 and Mum of 3, Thea (or Fifi to her Mummy) is 19 and studying Photography at Wolverhampton Uni. Paige (or Woo to her Mummy) is 16 and studying A-levels at 6th form. And last but not least is Lennon (or Buster-Boo to his Mummy), who is 5, and thoroughly spoilt by his big sisters. I have a new furry friend called Cato, he is a 6 month old Lab/Staffie cross and who is jet black and loves to nip your hands..lol.
I used to work as a licencee in a pub/nightclub, until Jan '06 when I was involved in an RTA. Whilst recovering I was diagnosed with a neurological condition and have been in a wheelchair for 4 years now. My other half is my full time carer who helps me with everything in day to day life but I fight everyday to try and regain the life I once had.
Cardmaking, Smash*ing, papercraft, altered art and jewellery making and my faith are my lifelines and keep me sane and focused, without them as an outlet life would be much harder.